Come Along!

My oldest daughter, Mary Kathrine, used my camera to take a photo of my granddaughter, "Princess" Rose and me after we had been down to the front pond to see if we could see any duck activity today.

Several days before we had witnessed Mrs. Mallard shepherding her ducklings from the back to the front pond.

My youngest son in law loves to do complex puzzles.  I think I should make this photo into a puzzle for him!  I especially appreciate the grass and leaves that provide some protection for the ducks. Several days ago we saw a heron take off from the front pond.  It was startling, because they are huge birds and I have been thrilled to see them.  However,  I did a Google search on herons today to learn more about them, and now know that in the circle of life drama, ducklings and ducks, and moles and fish are possible prey for herons.  I have been thinking vegan thoughts all day...but had salmon for dinner...sigh...

Isn't Mr. Mallard handsome? I wonder if the males are so brilliant in color so that they can distract predators from the mother mallards and ducklings.

Mama Mallards kind of blend into their surroundings here.

I think this is one area where the Mallards have a nest.

I caught this duck just taking off from the front pond.

On another day I got a photo of  Mr. Wood Duck snoozing on a branch.  Did you know they do that?  I didn't until I witnessed it.

 I think this is Mr. Mallard resting on a branch.

My blogging friend Bethany asked if I planned to show you my finished Haystack Rock painting.  I have worked on it several times since then. I think it is finished...or it is finished for now at least. Most recently I added people. Two are riding recumbent bikes like those Teresa and I saw some folks riding along the beach.

I finished writing heart themed Scriptures around the acrylic splatter painted heart I made at our worship art group and am interested that it has kind of a 3D effect...there is probably some sort of scientific explanation for that...that I do not know :)

Watercolor, Staedtler triplus fineliner, PROGRESSO KOH-I-NOOR woodless pencils
Dover Kaleidoscope coloring book patterns [not colors] by A.G.Smith
Original Dover (2005) www.doverpublications.com
I taped the three little pages on a window and took the photo with the daylight shining through the pages.  The paper is a similar texture to tracing paper and I wondered how it would take the colors, so I tried three different coloring mediums. On the far right I colored both sides of the paper with woodless colored pencils to intensify the hues.
Have you been coloring lately?

This week I have knit some rows on two of the blankets I started, and I have a dishcloth half knit while watching House Hunters International on Netflix, thus traveling to Easter Island and Mongolia from my armchair. I have been reading everything from newspapers to completing the fascinating auto-biography of Catherine de Hueck Doherty...then lunch out with a friend, reading and cooking with grand girls, and sleeping and cleaning and studying, and.............. 

Thanks for coming along with me!  Where have you been wandering along? I do hope you will tell me.

Gracie xx